Book Review: The D Word


The lives of Jordan Daniels and Elle Ryan intersect in an unexpected way when Elle begins dating Jordan’s soon-to-be ex-husband, Kevin. Jordan asked for the divorce but seeing him with another woman has her wondering if she made the right decision. Elle left her fiancé Chase to avoid eventually getting a divorce, which she was sure would happen because divorce is prevalent in her family. But by getting involved with Kevin, she is surrounded by “the d word,” the very thing she wanted to avoid. Jordan doesn’t make anything easy for Elle either, especially when it comes to Jordan’s and Kevin’s five year old son, Max. Determined to win Kevin back out of fear of Elle replacing her as wife and mother, Jordan is awful to Elle, hoping to drive her away. They couldn’t be more opposite in their looks, careers, and personalities, but they have their love for Kevin and Max in common. Can these two very different women learn to get along with each other or will they always be at odds? 

The D Word is a heartfelt novel about love, friendship, family, and divorce. It is written with such ease and believability that readers will definitely relate to one or more of the characters. The majority of the book is told from the perspectives of Jordan and Elle, alternating by chapter. There are a few chapters that deviate from the norm and are told from the perspectives of Elle’s best friend Taylor, Jordan’s sister Meg, and Elle’s mom. The random points of view from secondary characters are a bit jarring and don’t add much to the story. They are unnecessary and distracting since these perspectives only happen one time each and are not developed further. The story should be told exclusively by Jordan and Elle. Aside from that minor issue, readers will enjoy the light, witty tone in both Jordan’s and Elle’s accounts of what they are experiencing and what they have been through in the past. Readers will root for Jordan and Elle as they try to find happiness and move forward with their lives. The D Word is sure to charm and inspire chick lit fans everywhere.   

Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke have been friends for over twenty years. They both attended Cal Poly Pomona University and each graduated with a degree in communication. They co-created the popular website Chick Lit Is Not Dead where they celebrate books with high fashion and happy endings. Liz is married with two children and lives in Long Beach, California. Lisa is married with one child and lives in Chicago, Illinois. To find out more, connect with Liz and Lisa on Twitter and Facebook.

Book Review: Rock Star's Girl


When entrepreneur and freelance writer Emily Watts starts dating Cory Sampson, the lead singer of a popular rock band, her world is turned upside down. Suddenly her relationship with Cory is making headlines and she sees her personal life being dissected in the tabloids. When rumors swirl that Emily is cheating on Cory with her longtime friend and indie band member, Jesse, the gossip is sent into overdrive and she receives a backlash from Cory’s adoring fans. Emily didn’t ask for all of this attention and certainly doesn’t want it. All she wants is to continue running her fashion website, Zeeked, in peace. But she quickly learns that when you are involved with a chart topping rock star, your life is anything but peaceful and low key. She also learns that the paparazzi are always watching and the tabloids can make or break a relationship and a career. Emily’s website is in trouble from all of the negative press she is receiving, her relationship with Cory is doomed, and her friendship with Jesse is falling apart, causing her to wonder if she is really meant to be a rock star’s girl.  

Emily is a strong heroine who is thrown into the foreign world of tabloids and gossip blogs. She isn’t looking for fame and just wants to be a writer and find love. The tabloid articles throughout the novel are unique and are a fun way for the reader to delve further into the story as they give an outsider’s perspective of what’s going on. The dialogue is sharp and witty. Jesse is perfectly depicted as the big flirt who is always playing games, causing a lot of confusion for Emily. Emily’s connection with Cory is believable and he seems like he could be a good guy, but Emily discovers that a lot of celebrities crave attention and will do anything to get it. Unfortunately, Cory might not be as genuine as she once thought. Emily must figure out the truth in order to clear her name. Rock Star’s Girl is a lot of fun and the unexpected ending is a refreshing twist. People who love celebrity gossip and the music scene will love Rock Star’s Girl. 

J.F. Kristin is the chick lit pen name for editor and writer Jennifer Farwell. Jennifer writes about both writing and ecommerce, and was previously a freelance promotional writer and web designer for musicians. She ran the Society for Preventing Parents from Naming Their Children Jennifer (SPPNTCJ), a tongue-in-cheek website that welcomed millions of visitors during its run. Jennifer is currently at work on her second novel. To learn more, please visit Jennifer's website and connect with her on Twitter and Facebook.

Book Review: Too Much Trouble in Paradise


Molly Parker escaped to the Spanish Canarian island of Tenerife with her best friend Fran to leave her old life behind and start anew. Her professional darts player ex-husband, Paul, is the main reason she left England after she caught him cheating on her. Molly quickly begins a romance on the island with Antonio, a gorgeous Spaniard, and accepts his marriage proposal. Engaged to Antonio and determined to move on from Paul, Molly is completely caught off guard when Paul shows up on Tenerife to win her back. He claims that he was caught up in all the attention he was getting and that’s why he cheated, but that isn’t really who he is or wants to be anymore. Should Molly take him back or move forward with her marriage to Antonio? She is torn between the bad boy and the nice guy, which gets her into a lot of unexpected trouble.  

Too Much Trouble in Paradise is a light, fun read that will keep readers guessing who Molly will choose until the very end. Molly is a likeable character who is genuinely looking for love but struggling with her own insecurities and trust issues. Paul is the character readers will love to hate and Fran is a loyal friend to Molly. Their dialogue and interactions are sharp, funny, and definitely entertaining. The story moves at a quick pace, flowing seamlessly as Molly figures out what she really wants and gets a few surprises along the way. Too Much Trouble in Paradise will delight fans of clever, dynamic romantic comedies. 

Michelle Betham is an independent author of romance novels and chick lit. She was born and brought up in the North East of England, but also lived on the Spanish Canarian island of Tenerife for two years. Michelle is addicted to reality TV, loves reading anything from horror to high drama, could watch Grease a million times and never get bored, and hopes to write a sitcom about darts someday. For more information about Michelle and her books, you can visit her blogs at http://michellebethamwriter.blogspot.com and http://michellebethamindieauthor.blogspot.com and connect with her on Twitter and Facebook.

Book Review: Four Thousand Miles


Natalie Spencer is having the worst day of her life. She loses her job and finds her husband in bed with someone else. Not knowing what to do, Natalie impulsively gets on a plane to London. But when she gets there without a plan and nowhere to stay, she winds up almost getting mugged. The first bit of luck finally comes her way when a kind stranger named Gavin comes to her rescue and lets her stay with him at his brother’s flat. He then invites Natalie to go with him to his family’s farm in Kent to live and work there for as long as she’d like. Natalie agrees and begins living a lifestyle she never envisioned for herself but surprisingly enjoys. Since she is going through a divorce, she and Gavin remain friends only, but it becomes harder and harder for them to ignore the feelings that are developing between them. Natalie must decide if she belongs in England or if she should return to the United States to face everything she ran away from. What began as a quick getaway to another country becomes a much longer journey and much more complicated than she ever imagined.

Four Thousand Miles is entertaining and heartwarming. The story develops in such an engaging manner that readers will be hooked from the first page to the last. This book has humor, heart, romance, and plenty of drama. Natalie and Gavin are well written main characters who are easy to relate to and root for throughout the book. The progression of their friendship into possibly something more is very natural and doesn’t feel forced or contrived. The secondary characters are woven into the story appropriately to paint a very realistic overall picture. Four Thousand Miles is a charming debut that is worth reading.

Jesi Lea Ryan was born and raised in Dubuque, Iowa. She graduated from Loras College with degrees in Creative Writing and Literature, and is now working on her MBA. She currently lives with her husband in Madison, Wisconsin. In addition to Four Thousand Miles, she has published several short stories and maintains a book blog. To learn more, you can connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.

Bee Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone celebrating today! I want to thank all of you who read The Chick Lit Bee. I’m so grateful for your support! I truly feel like I’m part of a very special community of women’s fiction authors and readers and I’m so appreciative. 

Specifically, thank you to Lucie Simone and Samantha Robey for encouraging me from the very beginning and continuously supporting The Chick Lit Bee. Huge thank you to Shannon Hart for helping me make The Chick Lit Bee what it is and contributing so many wonderful stories. I’m so glad we have been able to work together on something that means so much to both of us. 

Thank you to everyone who stays in touch with me by email, comments on posts and sends messages via Twitter and Facebook for showing such great camaraderie. I’m amazed by how much and how fast The Chick Lit Bee has grown and I will continue to do the very best I can to support the genre. Chick lit fans around the world are a very loyal group, joining together to form a community of incredible storytellers and truly remarkable people. I’m having a wonderful time getting to know you.  

Have a fantastic day!